Printing telegraph apparatus



July 11, 1944.

W. J. ZENNER PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2l, 1942 FIG.

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seance o aoaoaooeoonoooov on INVENTOR. WALTER J. ZENNER Patented July11, 1944 PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Walter J. Zenner, Des Plaines,Ill., assigner to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofDelaware Application February 21, 1942, Serial No. 431,804

1 Claim. A('Cl. `178-42) This invention relates to printing telegraphapparatus, particularly to tape feed control devices for signal controltape in connection' with a signal transmitter and to storage of tapewhen delay in transmission is necessary or desirable.

It is customary when employing a transmitter in conjunction with aperforator to place the transmitter adjacent the perforator and toprovide a taut tape switch between these units to control mechanismwhich governs the operation of the transmitter. Such a taut tape switchis shown in Patent No. 1,997,601 granted to A. H. Reiber on April 16,1935, in which the transmitter is similar to that shown herein but theperforator disclosed therein is of the keyboard type. The printingreperforator disclosed herein is shown in detail in Patent No. 2,255,794issued to R. yA. Lake on September 16, 1941.

In the operation of this type of telegraph apparatus, embodying the useof a tape reperforator and a tape transmitter, a tape feeding conditionmay occur causing a constant operation of the taut tape switch whichcontrols the mechanism controlling operation ofl the transmitter. Thisresults in an undesirable operation. The constant starting and stoppingyof the tape as it is pulled forward by the transmitter may also cause aweakening of the tape and in some instances may actually result intearing the tape.

In actual practice the transmitter cannot always be operated immediately`because a busy condition of the transmitting line may exist. It is,therefore, desirable to provide means vwhereby the tape coming from theperforating mechanism may be stored until the transmitter is again readyfor operation. Another situation wherein it is desirable to store thetape is when it is required that information from several sources beperforated on `the same tape. This is accomplished by rst connecting theperforator unit in the signal line with a` message coming from onestation and then immediately thereafter connecting it in the signal linewith a message coming from another station, and so on depending uponthe'number of stations from which the messages are being transmitted.Meanwhile, the transmitter is kept idle until all the messages have beenperforated upon the tape, which at this time is 4allowed to accumulatein a storage receptacle provided by the present` invention.

Then, after all the messages have been perforated, the transmitter isstarted and the several messages are retransmitted in a continuousmanner from the same tape, or to save time the transmitter might bestarted immediately after the next to the last message is received.

An object of the present invention is to provide a signal strip feedingcontrol arrangement to facilitate a smooth feed of strip between unitsof a telegraph system.

A feature of this invention isthe employment of a loop forming switchlever between a telegraph perforating unit and a telegraph transmittingunit which allows a predetermined amount of slack to form before acondition is established to permit the operation of the transmitter.

Another feature of this invention vis the provision of a storagereceptacle, in combination with a tape controlled mechanism wherein tapemay be stored in an untwisted condition until such time that it isdesired to use the tape for transmission.

By the present invention, a chute leading to a storage receptacle ispositioned between the transmitter and the perforator, Upon the backplate of the chute is mounted a tape loop forining or deecting switchcontrol means'which permitsa predetermined amount of slack tape toaccumulate before it pivots to a position to close a circuit to thetransmitter clutch magnet to thereby allow the transmitter to feed thetape forwardly. When the transmitter starts into op eration, the switchcontrol pivots in the oppo.- site direction under the influence of thetape when a taut conditionof ythe tape occurs. 'When the tape reaches afull taut condition, t'he'loop forming switch control means at this timehas moved toa position to operatethe plungerr of a delayed action switchwhich effects the breaking of the circuit to the transmitter clutchvmagnet and -thereby stops the operation'ofthe transmitter whereuponslack tape will again accumulate as before and the cycle will berepeated;

The invention may be more readily understood by referring to thefollowing description, taken in Iconjunction with the following drawing,in which, Y y j `1 Fig. `1 is a front elevational view, partly insection, of the structure according'to the present invention, showingtwo cabinets of the printing telegraph apparatus employing the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view partly in section showing the switchcontrol employed in the pressent invention;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational View partly in section of the switchingmechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the storage receptacle employed inthe present invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective vview of the chuteway on which the loop switchcontrol is mounted;

Fig. 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the clutch control for thetransmitter feed mechanism including a schematic view of the delayedaction switch disclosed in the present invention; and

Fig. 8 shows a modified formi ofthe chute con-j shown two telegraphcabinets I 0, eachV one` off which is made up of three compartments. Inthe uppermost compartment II is housed a monitor unit comprising aprinting perforator I2. In the central compartment I3 of the cabinetthere are housed aprinting vreperforator I4 and a transmittingdistributor I5. In the lower compartment I6 there are provided a storagereceptacle I1 in which tape may be stored for later transmission andalso'a receptacle` I8 which receives thetape after it has passed throughthe transmitter. l

'At the rightside of Fig. 3 there is shown a guide I8 which receives thetape I9 as it comes from the perforator unit I4. At the left side ofcompartment I3` i-s disclosed the transmitter I5 which .transmitsmessages under the control `of thefperf'o'rated tape asV it comes fromthe perforator I4. Intermediate the perforator andA the transmitter',there is removably mounted on the transmitting frame 20 a chuteway 2|..Chuteway 2| (Fig. 6) Vcomprises a rectangular member made up of abackplate 22, a relatively shorter front plate 23, and .end walls V24 and25. The end wall 25 is lower than end wall 24 .and is provided with acam surface 26 fora purpose later tobe described. -A forwardly bent overflange 'portion 21 is provided 0n front plate 23 to serve a's a camsurface to guide a loop ofy tape into the chuteway. V

"Backplate 22 'of chuteway 2l has mounted thereon a freelyrotatableshaft 28- whose frontwardly'exten'ding portion carriesfa loopforming switch lever 29 which in the present case is welded to theenlarged square portion 39 of the shaft but of course could be attachedto the shaft in any convenient manner. The shaft 28 passes throughthe'interior of the bushing 3| which is threaded tothe back -`plate 22ofthe chuteway 2|. The loop lever 29 terminates in a laterally bentlower` end portion 32 whichy is adapted to engage the tape I9. As shownin Fig. 3, the end 32 o-f the loop` switch lever .29v is bent in thesame direction as tape movementyso that little frictional resistanceisoflered Vto the moving tape. At its rear portion, shaft 28 has attachedthereto, by means of the set screws 35, a switch engaging lever 36.`Levers 29 and 36 are .so balan'c'ed on shaft 28 that lever 36 normallytends to pivot in'a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig.A 3,'against an adjustable stop screw 31 whichis mounted to the bentoverportionof a bracket@ (Fig. 2i which is attaonedtothe back; 75V

plate 22 of the Chuteway. Lever 29 is much longer than lever 36, theresult being that its extremity 32 moves a greater relative distancethan the switch engaging portion of lever 36. This is due to the factthat, although both levers are pivoted on the common shaft 28, extremity32 of lever 29 moves through a greater arc than the switch engagingportion of lever 36. As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, lever 36 is locatedon shaft 28 at the rear of back plate 22 of the chuteway while the looplever 29 is located on shaft 28 at the front of the back plate. In thepath of lever 36 on back plate 22 is mounted a delayed action switch 4Ioperable'by a contact controlling plunger 42.

The delayed action switch 4I employed in the present invention is shownin detail in Fig. 7. The switch is enclosed in a box-like member 6I inwhich 'is mounted a contact engaging lever 62 which is pivoted at 63. Apermanent magnet 64 normally tends to hold the lever in a clockwisedirection asl viewed in Fig. 8. In engagement lwith the Vupper portionof the contact engaging lever 62 is a coiled spring 65 which is mountedbetween the upper portion of lever 62 and the collar 66 of plunger 42which extends outwardly from the box-like member 6I as shown in thedrawing. Adjacent to the contactl engaging lever 62V is mounted acontact 68 which is in circuit with the clutch control magnet-43 shownin Fig. '7.

As the tape becomes taut, the loop forming lever 29v is lifted upwardlyand thereby causes the switch engaging lever 36 to moveaway from thestop screw 31 into engagement with the plunger 61 of the delayed lactionswitch. As the loop lever rises, the switch engaging lever 36 continuesto press against the plunger 42 placing the coil spring 65 underaprogressively increasing compression untilenough force has 'been builtup by the spring to overcome the holding force of the permanent magnet64. When this condition occurs, contact engaging lever 62 swings in acounterclockwise direction to break its engagement with conta-ct 68 andthereby break the circuit to the clutch'control magnet 43. thus causingthe stoppage of the transmitter I5. Inasmuch as the perforator maycontinue to operate and feed out tape, the loop lever 29 is now allowedto swing vin a reverse or counterclockwise direction deflecting the tapedownwardly and thereby allowing lever 36 to move similarly in a likedirection. The plunger 42, therefore, is permitted to move to the right,as viewed in Fig. 7 and as it does so the compressive force of coiledspringy 65 is progressively vreduced until a point is reached-wheretheforce exerted' by thecoiled spring 65Y isl overcome bythe force ofthe'permanent magnet 64. At this time, permanent magnetwill attractv thecontact engaging lever 63 and permit it to swingin a clockwisedirectionto again Aclose the contact' and, therefore, to again close the circuitto the clutch controlmagnet V43 to permit Va resumption of transmissionby the transmitter I5. As the tape again becomes taut, the cycle ofoperation just outlined will'be repeated. It is thus seen that thedelayed operation of the lever 63 permits the loop lever 29 to move anappreciable distance in either direction before the contact 68 is openedor closed depending upon the direction of movement ofthe loop forminglever 29. This has a decided advantage over anordinary make and breaktype of switch whichV opens-'and closes almost immediately upon itsoperation without enabling any appreciable. movement of its actuatingmember.

It willbe observed that in viewof the -fact that loop lever 29 musttravela considerable distance before the contacts of the delayed actionswitch 4| are opened or closed, depending vupon the direction ofmovement, there is not a constant making and breaking of the circuit tothe transmitter clutch magnet 43 shown inAFig. 7. The breaking of thecircuit occurs only after a predetermined number of characters areperforated on the tape I9 by theperforator I4. For instance, by thepresent invention, it might be arranged that six characters beperforated .on the tape I9 before a sufficient amount of lslack forms inthe tape to permit the loop lever 29 to pivot in a counterclockwisedirection (Fig, 3) and allow the contacts of the delayed action switch4I to be closed to start transmission. Therefore, a comparatively smoothfeeding of tape from the perforator to the transmitter results and thetransmitter does not constantly jerk the tape forward and cause acontinual chattering of the armature 44 of the clutch magnet 53 asoccurs in the usual taut tape switch.

To the left of chuteway 2|, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, there is shown ataut tape lever 41 which is attached to shaft 48 and has an extendingportion 49 (Fig. 4) engageable with insulating portion 5I of contacts 52to normally maintain the contacts 52 closed. The contacts 52 are inseries with the contacts of the delayed action switch 4| as shown inFig. 7, and together therewith controls the clutch magnet 43 whichoperates the armature lever 44 to control the rotation of cam clutchmember 52 which governs the operation of the transmitter. It will beseen then that when delayed action switch 4I is closed and contacts 52are likewise closed, a circuit will be completed to magnet 43 which willattract armature lever 44 to move it out of the path of projection 53 ofcam clutch 52 to permit the cam clutch to rotate and thereby drive thefeeding mechanism of the transmitter.

The forwardly extending portion of lever 41 is mounted directly adjacentand parallel to the front portion of yoke 55 which is mounted to thetransmitter frame by screws 5B so that together the contact lever 41,and yoke 55 define a narrow passageway through which the tape I9 passesto the transmitter. If the tape for any reason becomes twisted it willlift up tape lever 41 which will allow contacts 52 to open and break thecircuit to the control magnet 4.3 to thereby stop rotation of thefeeding mechanism. The tape will not become twisted in the storagereceptacle |1 as the storage receptacle is especially designed toprevent twisting. However, at times the storage receptacle is not usedand the tape is permitted to hang over the front of the cabinet causingtwists to develop in the tape in some instances.

As already explained, there is shown in the drawing, Fig. 6, chuteway 2|which includes end walls 24 and 25. Wall 25 which is shown at the leftin Fig- 3 is somewhat lower than the end of loop lever 29 and isprovided with a cam surface 26 which slopes toward the rear of thechuteway as shown in Fig. 6. The purpose of having the wall 25 lowerthan the loop lever 29 and providing it with a cam surface is to insurethat when the transmitter is started and a loop of tape approaches theextremity 32 of the loop lever 29, the tape will be cammed inwardlyagainst the back portion of the chuteway and positively engage theextremity 32 of the loop lever 29. As has been previously stated, itsometimes occurred in prior practice that when transmission started, theloop of tape rose up on the outside of the loop lever and failed tocontact therewith. Thus the transmitter would continue to feed the tapeforwardly and eventually would break it after a certain amount of tapehad been fed and the tapebecame taut. It can be seen that if the wall 25was above the lower end of loop lever 29, a loop of tape might remainout of the path of the loop lever 29 and would not engage it whentransmission started from the transmitter I5. vThe front plate 23 of theguidevvayvdoes not extend higher thantheflange 21 cf the front plate inorder `that the switch controlling device'mounted on the chuteway may bereadily accessible to an operator.

Chuteway 2| leads downwardly to a storage receptacle I1 which is made upof glass partitions 51 and 58 (Fig. 5) and end Walls 59 and 60. Theglass partitions are spaced just far enough apart to accommodate a widthof tape. The purpose of providing glass partitions is to render theaccumulated tape visible to an operator and to reduce the frictionbetween the edges of the tape and the sides of the receptacle so that asthe tape accumulates it will slide freely down the sides of thereceptacle with its edges maintained perpendicular to the glasspartitions. Thus, the tape will not tend to become twisted in thestorage receptacle. As has been previously pointed out, the storagereceptacle I1 is provided to store the tape I9 when line conditions donot permit the immediate operation of the transmitter or when it isdesirable to perforate a message compiled from several sources on onetape. A chuteway 62 is provided to the left of the transmitter forguiding the tape into a receptacle I9 as it comes from the transmitter.

Fig. 8 discloses a modification of the present invention in which thechuteway 2| disclosed in Fig. 6 is replaced by a chuteway 10 whichextends only to the top of frame 20 and has formed on its upperextremity a bent over flange portion 1I which acts to guide a loop oftape into the opening of the chuteway. Spaced above the top of thetransmitting frame 20 there is suitably mounted a plate 15 which is invertical alignment with and slightly to the front of the back Wall ofchuteway 10 and carries a loop control switch device similar to the loopcontrol device previously described. The loop control lever 12 isequivalent to the loop lever 29 hereinbefore mentioned and is positioneddirectly over the opening in the chuteway 10 so that as slack is formedin the tape, the tape will be deflected downwardly into the opening ofthe chuteway.

By the present invention there is provided a very elicient feedingarrangement for feeding tape from a perforator to a transmitter toinsure that the feeding of the tape is carried out in a smooth mannerwith the tape maintained in an untwisted condition. This invention alsoprovides a very convenient storage receptacle in which tape may bestored and retained in an untwisted condition until it is desired totransmit a message end walls, a tape loop forming switch control meansmounted directly over said guideway, said control means being effectiveunder two differentl mally effective under one of said loop conditionsinvariably to direct the tape into said guideway, a switch engaginglever also mounted on said shaft, a switch carried by said frame in thepath 10 of said switch engaging lever for controlling said secondfeeding means, said loop lever being re:

sponsive, under both said loop conditions, to taut and slack conditionsof tape to control said switch lever to operate said switch thereby tocontrol said second feeding means, one of said end walls being lowerthan said loop lever when said lever is in its lower position, andcamming means on said lower end Wall effective under the other of saidloop conditions for atuomatically guiding the tape into a position undersaid loop lever invariably to effect switch controlling functions undersaid other of said loop conditions.

WALTER J. ZENNER.

